5. The First Velodrome Was Located Next to Bowling Green
Photo from Library of Congress
According to the Bowery Boys, the first velodrome was located near Bowling Green. It featured the precursor to the bicycle, known as the “draisine,” which is defined by Museo Galileo as “the first two-wheeled vehicle purposely built for personal transportation.” Invented in 1816 by German aristocrat Karl Christian Ludwig Drais von Sauerbrohn, the draisine (or “hobby horse” as it came to be known as) had to be mounted and pushed with the foot.